Google Pays $1.375 Billion to Texas Over Unauthorized Tracking and Biometric Data Collection

Google Pays $1.375 Billion to Settle Texas Privacy Lawsuits

Google has agreed to pay $1.375 billion to the state of Texas, settling two lawsuits accusing the tech giant of illegally tracking users’ personal data and storing biometric information without proper consent.

Largest Privacy Settlement Yet

This settlement marks the largest fine Google has faced in connection to privacy violations. For comparison, the company paid $391 million to 40 U.S. states in November 2022, $29.5 million to Indiana and Washington in January 2023, and $93 million to California later that year.

The Allegations

Originally filed in 2022, the lawsuits centered around Google’s alleged misuse of geolocation data, incognito browsing activity, and biometric identifiers such as facial recognition and voiceprints. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton stated the company continued collecting data even when users had explicitly disabled tracking features like Location History.

“For years, Google secretly tracked people’s movements, private searches, and even their voiceprints and facial geometry through their products and services,” said AG Paxton. “This $1.375 billion settlement is a major win for Texans’ privacy and tells companies that they will pay for abusing our trust.”

Google’s Response and Changes

In response to growing privacy concerns, Google announced last year that Maps Timeline data will now be stored locally on users' devices by default. It has also expanded privacy tools, allowing users to auto-delete their location history and access granular data controls.

Wider Industry Context

This payment mirrors a similar $1.4 billion penalty imposed on Meta by Texas over allegations of unauthorized biometric data collection. The settlement arrives as Google faces heightened antitrust scrutiny in both the U.S. and Europe, with regulators pushing for structural changes to its business model.

As regulators and lawmakers around the world ramp up pressure on Big Tech over privacy and monopoly practices, this landmark settlement signals a turning point in how digital privacy enforcement may evolve.